DEFENSE COMMUNITIES 360

Military Families Uneasy as Uncertain Changes Come to Bragg

About 150,000 people live on Fort Bragg or work there daily, but surrounding businesses in Fayetteville, N.C., are worried about the impact of pending cuts in the defense budget.

One factor already hurting the local economy is the housing bubble created when developers built too much housing in anticipation of the expected influx from Fort McPherson, reported the National Journal. The problem was that many of the new arrivals were unable to sell their homes in Atlanta, and were not in a position to purchase new ones.

Of course, any cuts are painful. This week, installation officials said Bragg would lose 431 civilian positions as part of the Army’s effort to trim its workforce. And as thousands of troops return from Iraq, the community will need more, rather than fewer, resources for services such as healthcare and counseling.